HUB News

This year saw The HUB expand and evolve into the buzzing inclusive space worthy of its namesake – a hub that continues to support students (sometimes even staff!) as safe and inclusive space for all. It has served as a space for students to strengthen and demonstrate the college’s 4R values of Rights, Respect, Resilience and Relationships through:

• Free play and timed play at break times
• Study
• Targeted learning groups 
• Their allied health appointments by working with specialists to support their growth, learning and life skills at home and at school
• Its use as a transitional location for students to ready themselves for the school day ahead, or as calm space when the day is just getting too much.

The Education Support staff have been the pillar and backbone of the HUB at Brookside for it to operate and function the way it does. In 2023, through their dedication and support the HUB experienced:

• 13 sessions of ES run learning groups each week for students from both primary and secondary sectors with varying needs, skills and engagement
• Decreased technology usage during breaktimes and devoted time for table top games – fostering many a new friendship, conversation skills and lessons in sportsmanship
• A reshuffle of the furniture and layout of the space at the start of Term 4 -
  • introducing two dedicated study spaces
  • a gross motor focused obstacle circuit for students to move their bodies
  • a Lego building table
  • a sensory table
  • offices for ES led groups and allied health professionals to conduct their meetings with students
• The addition of a beautiful The Hub Tree mural created by Ms. Liza Hoang

WEEKLY GROUPS

Zones of Regulation

This program ran 8 sessions per week with Kirby Smith and another session with Madhu Mattewada. 

Each week the group focused on the awareness of feelings, energy and alertness levels. The students explored a variety of tools and strategies for regulation, prosocial skills, self-care, and overall wellness. The sessions encouraged students to think and talk about how they felt on the inside and to identify them into four coloured Zones – green, blue, yellow and red; all of which are expected in life. 

Students developed strategies to manage the different Zones in order to meet goals like doing schoolwork or other tasks, managing big feelings, and creating healthy relationships with others.

Grade 5&6 Girls Social Group

A social skill program led and run by Rose Xuereb and Maree Sullivan for Grade 5 & 6 girls. 

Through practical based activities such as meal preparation and needlework, the program encouraged students to converse with one another and focused on how to express emotions and understand the changes in their bodies. The students investigated the developmental changes and transitions of their bodies in connection to their emotions and behaviour by recognising the influence of emotions on behaviours and discussed factors that influenced how people interact. 

Grade 4 Boys Social Group

A weekly social skill program that was run by Ainsley Graco that focused on Social Thinking. Social thinking is what we do when we interact with people, taking into consideration how we behave, our own emotions and how this affects not only ourselves but others around us. The sessions developed the students’ skills to think about others and how to modify their behaviours in response through the development of theory of mind, perspective, self-awareness, body language, voice, tone, conversation skills and assertiveness. Students worked with Ainsley on their communications, play skills and sense of belonging within their environment.

Year 7 Life Skills

This 2 hourly weekly group was run by Crystal Ambelas, Phuong Bui, Ros Winfield and Vicki Ah-Kau. 

The sessions were developed for the student to learn and master important tasks such as healthy eating, cooking, shopping and daily living skills - leading to more independence, social opportunities and self-care.

In order to develop these skills, students planned and coordinated an event called The Brookside Diner. This event gave the students the opportunity to invite and serve a valued member of our school community to a 3-course menu designed, planned and executed by them. The group saw them create and hand deliver invitations, develop a menu, create a shopping list of groceries, a trip to CS Square to buy the ingredients, then finally coordinate and complete the service.

Special shout out and credit to:

Chase C 7A who designed the Brookside Diner logo that became the inspiration for the design and colourway of the event.

Jahvia R 7C who designed the Brookside Diner menu displayed at service time.

Art Masterclass

These 2 hourly weekly groups were run by Liza Hoang and Carlos Mora, that aimed to help the students develop their social and emotional regulations skills by working collaboratively through ART! 

Whilst having Brazilian artist Romero Britto as the program’s inspiration, the students focused on the expression of emotions and how they could impact on relationships with others. Students discussed characteristics of respectful relationships and the behaviours that demonstrate sensitivity to diversity. They experienced various team skills of leadership and collaboration by completing multiple art projects that saw them beautify outdoor bench tabletops around the school, to designing a piece of art that was painted onto a sneaker that served as a blank canvas. 

Students showcased their work and progress at The Art Masterclass Celebration afterschool on Wednesday 13th of December. Well done for your efforts!